HILLINGDON UNITARY DEVELOPMENT PLAN - London Borough ...

Implementation of the Plan
2.75 As stated in paragraph 1.13, the Council's planning objectives will be achieved largely through
the exercise of its powers of control over private sector development proposals, but also through initiatives
funded wholly or partly from public sources. The latest government Expenditure Plans however indicate
that central government is not expecting any significant growth in local authority expenditure and the
policy thrust is for local authorities to constrain developments or relinquish their role as agents of
development.
2.76 The constraint on expenditure has increased the importance of the other roles of a local authority
- as landowner and as an 'enabler' and 'persuader'. The Council wishes to promote partnerships with the
private sector to meet its objectives, and there is due reference to these in this Plan for example, in the areas
of economic regeneration and provision of affordable housing. Certain policies refer to the achievement of
planning advantages from private sector development in the form of facilities for the benefit of the local
community which might otherwise have been publicly provided or not provided at all. These can be
secured particularly through agreements under S.106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The
Council intends to take a pro-active approach to such Agreements, taking account of:
i) the physical, social and economic issues of concern in a land use planning context;
ii)
iii)
ensuring local people enjoy more of the intrinsic benefits of a development;
and
ways in which the development itself can benefit by providing environmental
improvements. The UDP sets out the Council's general intention of seeking
planning obligations where appropriate, and also gives more specific examples of
benefits to be sought in conjunction with particular types of development or sitespecific
proposals. It is intended to develop this approach by preparing
Supplementary Planning Guidance for key sites. Before entering into any
agreement, however, the Council will take account of current government guidance
and the financial implications for the authority.
2.77 In seeking outside finance for projects the Council has also taken due account of the availability
of money from other organisations, some financed directly by central government such as the Countryside
Agency, English Nature and the Sports Council. It has further proposed partnerships with the private sector
in, for example, the provision of housing aimed at meeting local needs. Community organisations offer a
flexible, adaptable local response to a situation and can work in harmony with statutory services provided
there are effective channels for liaison and co-ordination. The Council has a number of powers to make
grants to such bodies, and such expenditure may be a cost effective way of implementing policies. There
are references in the Plan to the role of voluntary bodies, for example in the area of Nature Conservation.
London Borough of Hillingdon Unitary Development Plan